Team SABL: The First Step
by Jacob Rickshaw
Summary: Not every team at Beacon are great heroes, like RWBY. Not many are famous, like JNPR. Few are infamous, like CRDL. Nor do they have the mysterious allure of team CFVY, either. Most are like team SABL, just people wanting to improve their skills and protect their homes from Grimm. This is their tale, the story about SABL's first step on their journey at Beacon Academy.


**Hey guys! I'm trying something new here with this story, so please forgive any sudden-ness that you feel as you read. I plan for this to be a one-shot, but if enough of you guys like it then I will do my best continue the tale. Remember, any and all feedback is appreciated! Enjoy the story!**

**Oh, and I forgot to put this on my other stories so here it is now: **

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything RWBY (sadly). That honor belongs to Monty Oum and Rooster Teeth.**

Leo had not been expecting the sudden lurch as the ground beneath him launched upwards and shot him through the air. He had been too busy trying to come up with a landing strategy. He hadn't had enough time to do that, either, before he found himself soaring through the skies over the Emerald Forest. But now, he was flying through the sky so high and fast that he decided thinking would be a waste. He just stretched his arms out wide and felt the air rush against his skin. _So high, so free._ He thought. _This must be what it feels like to be a bird._

"Birdie, no!" shouted a voice to his right. He looked over just in time to see a red blur crash into the forest below at Mach speed. _Poor bird. Must be pretty unlucky to have gotten in the way of a Huntsman falling through the sky. _

It was then that Leo noticed the ground was quickly rushing to meet him. So, as was typical of an aspiring Hunter, he prioritized, then improvised. _I've got to reach the ruins. So, what's the fastest way?_ Seeing that the trees were only getting bigger as he thought, he sighed and pulled out Argent Cross. He used the long-sword to cut away a branch, landed on another, and launched himself back into the air. Soon, however, gravity overtook his jump and he fell back down. Coming across another tree, he planted his foot on one of the higher branches and again pushed himself upwards. _Use the momentum of my initial launch to keep my speed up and waste as little of the energy as possible as I go. Leo, sometimes you're just pure genius._

He noticed he wasn't the only one with the idea. A blonde haired woman blasted past him, using some sort of explosive-charged gauntlet to boost her speed. She was screaming and laughing at the top of her lungs, completely enjoying herself. _Well, there goes my chances of making it to the ruins first. Wait, were those aviators? Man, I thought those went out of style ages ago._

He continued his tree-hopping for a good minute before he felt himself being watched. Making another jump, he used Argent Cross to slash off the top of a passing tree. He let himself hit the ground running. Behind him, he heard a crash, the snapping of wood, and the sound of a woman swearing. He just kept running, ignoring the potential teammate behind him. _I can't let anyone slow me down. _He thought, sprinting along the forest floor.

He heard footsteps behind him, signifying that the girl was right on him now, and he knew he couldn't shake her. He wasn't going to waste any time trying to get rid of her, but he also wasn't going to stop to make conversation. His only objective, in his mind, was to grab a relic from the ruins and make it back to Beacon alive. Teammates were optional. If this girl followed him and they happened to make eye contact, oh well. She'd just have to learn to keep up.

While he had been caught in his introspection, Leo had not noticed the massive monochromatic wall that was smashing through the trees to his side. When the mass hit him square in the side, he flew headlong into a nearby tree. After taking a moment to reorient himself to reality, he stood and drew his sword.

A trio of Ursi were standing in front of him, roaring at the top of their lungs. Two of them were focused on Leo, and began lumbering towards him. _Oh, great. This is what you get for not wanting a teammate, Leo. _

He brandished his sword before moving into his favorite opening stance. He lifted his left arm up towards the pair and drew his right one back, making his blade parallel to his arm. He placed his left foot forward and bent both legs, bracing for the incoming attacks. _Soresu: Resilience. _

He watched as one Ursa began to charge him, steadily gaining speed. Just as it neared him, the bear lifted itself on its hind legs and smashed a heavy paw down onto him. Leo moved slightly to his left, dodging the attack by mere inches.

He used the momentary pause afterwards to jump forward and stab at the beast's stomach. The Grimm roared as the sharp blade of Argent Cross broke through its fur into the soft underbelly beneath. Leo pulled his sword out just in time to roll out of the way of another swipe, this time aimed for his head. He jumped towards his attacker once his feet had hit the ground and grabbed the bony white plate on its shoulder. Using the hard shell as a pivot, he swung behind it, landing feet-first between the spikes on its back. He used a blast of Aura to force it to the ground. There was a resounding _thud_ as the monster smashed onto the forest floor.

The second Ursa was enraged and slashed at the Hunter. Leo jumped up just in time as the Ursa's claws tore through the space that he'd previously occupied, striking the back of the first beast. It roared and swung at its brother, lashing out at whatever had attacked it. Both monsters turned to see each other, confused by the situation. Leo used that chaos to his advantage and slashed the second Ursa's throat, killing it. The Grimm collapsed to the ground, its soul – or lack thereof – slowly ebbing away.

Leo moved into a new stance upon the back of his fallen enemy. Legs apart, knees bent, and sword held close to his side with both hands, pointing skywards. _Ataru: Aggression. _He roared a battle cry of his own before rushing the first beast, slashing in a wide lateral arc. The monster had little time to do anything but roar as the icy steel cut through its stomach, adding another wound to it.

Leo tried to roll behind it, but was smashed away by a heavy paw. He flew a few feet away, landing against the hard forest floor. His Aura took the brunt of the blow, but he still felt a few bruises beginning to form. He slowly got up, his head swimming. _That was a bit more painful than I thought it'd be._ He thought, stumbling. He looked up and saw the wounded Ursa slowly make its way towards him. For a moment, it seemed that a second one walked out from behind it, trudging in step with its brother. _No, that's double vision. You've been disoriented, Leo, snap out of it._

He shook his head, trying to bring the world back into focus. Just as he felt that the spinning motion had passed, he realized that the Ursa was on top of him, arm raised for a finishing blow. _Well, if I were one to curse, now would be the time._

Suddenly two wide blades jutted out from its neck. The monster gurgled its final breath before falling onto its back, the blades fading into nothingness the second before it smashed into the ground.

Leo felt a growl rise in his throat, recognizing the swords and realizing who it was that'd most likely saved him. "Turquo!" He shouted, frustration rising.

A shorter, dark-skinned girl materialized before him. She wore a white sleeveless top that exposed her midriff and tight white shorts, all with light blue lining. White gloves and heeled boots adorned her extremities. Across her hip was a white belt with short-swords attached to either side. Her waist-length light blue hair fluttered slightly in the wind, and her turquoise eyes were locked onto his. A small smile drew itself across her face.

"I thought we were on a first-name basis, unless you prefer to be called Vert." She said jokingly.

"Fine, Serpis. You win." Leo began walking off in the direction he had originally been heading, although now at a much slower pace thanks to the Grimm.

Serpis faded into view before him, a pout on her face. "Hey! We're partners now, so you've gotta wait up for me!" She scolded him.

Leo held the bridge of his nose between two of his fingers. "If you can just teleport anywhere, then why do I have to wait up on you, again?"

"Because I like walking. It's so much more romantic."

"I'm not falling for you five minutes into initiation."

"Let's wait five more, see if anything changes."

Leo sighed. _It's gonna be a long four years._

* * *

Glynda Goodwitch looked at her scroll, watching as the boy and girl on her screen walked into the forest, heading towards the temple ruins. "Another pair has been made. Only a few left until they're all done, Professor Ozpin." She looked up to see the headmaster watching his own scroll. "Professor?" She asked.

He grunted. On his screen were two girls, one black and the other yellow. They were walking away from a large clearing containing several demolished trees and two dead Ursi. The feed suddenly cut to a familiar pair of red and white girls walking through the forest. Ozpin took a sip of coffee from his mug. "Hmm." He mumbled.

* * *

After some aimless wandering, multiple encounters with the murderous wildlife, and many more futile attempts at seduction, Serpis felt a small pang of worry when Leo finally claimed that they were genuinely lost. He sat down against a nearby tree, head against the trunk and eyes closed. She stood in front of him, surveying the area for any more attacks from the local fauna.

"Come on, it's not that bad." The aspiring Huntress assured him. "I mean, we can still see the cliffs from here, so we know we're not that far off." She looked at her old friend, trying to find some sign that he'd heard her.

Now that she finally had the chance she gave him a good look-over, noticing how much he'd change since they'd both graduated from Signal last year. He wore his signature dark tunic over a black robe that was bunched at the waist by a black belt. Dark green edging adorned the attire. The robe went down to just above his knees, where she saw his loose black pants go down to his ankles. Under that were black combat boots with dark green laces. It all reminded her of some sort of warrior-monk character that she'd seen in a sci-fi space movie. His tree-green hair was longer than she remembered, messy across his head instead of slick and well-kept like it had been three months ago. She knew that under his closed eyelids were sea-green irises, something that she'd found quite attractive in him.

"Just because you can see the top of the mountain doesn't mean you're near the valley." He answered, unaware of the careful scrutiny he was under.

She scowled at his comment. "You spend way too much time with Oro, you know. That old geezer's nonsense rubbed off on you."

"Well, duh, I'd pick up on my teacher's mannerisms after four years under him. It's like incense oil, getting onto you and sticking there through it all, always giving off a nice smell." He opened his eyes to give his partner a small smile.

Her frown quickly turned into a seductive grin. "You know, I could always be the cleaning sponge that rubs off all that grime, making you spotless."

His smile died. "I have no idea what that's supposed to mean, but knowing you it's either extremely dangerous or inappropriate." He stretched himself out before bringing himself to his feet. "And based on your mood today, it's probably the second one."

Serpis snickered before hearing the sounds of leaves crunching nearby. She suddenly grew quiet, her face deadpan and her fingers twitching ever closer to her precious blades, Rampant Fangs. She could see Leo's growing sense of uneasiness on his face as placed on hand on the hilt of Argent Cross, ready to draw.

Then, the sound of leaves loudly rustling behind them confirmed her thoughts. _Not another fight. I can't save Leo's butt from baddies by myself all day. _Leo drew his sword and held it at his side, ready to move into a stance if need be.

But instead of a Grimm, as they'd been expecting, two students stumbled out of the woods. They shouted loudly as they tripped over each other, barreling right into Leo's chest. The poor kid was caught under it all and found himself lying on his back on the bottom of the dog-pile. Serpis began to giggle as she realized the situation her friend was in, and couldn't wait to see how he dealt with it.

Leo dazedly opened his eyes to find brilliant blue ones staring right back at him. Short, white hair fell against his face in a haphazard manner. The two stayed locked where they were, momentarily too shocked to move. Serpis watched as the surprised girl on top of him found herself at a loss for words and simply blinked at Leo, confused.

"Get off." He told her in a not-so-nice tone of voice.

The poor girl gave him a weak smile. "Well, I would, you see, but there's an Ursa on me."

"Hey! I ain't that heavy!" Shouted a brown-haired boy, who was casually sitting on top of the two. He pulled an apple out of a pouch at his side and began munching on the snack. "Besides, you look like you two are having loads of fun down there."

"Burdis, if you do not get off of me this instant, I swear I will make your life a living hell for the next four years." There was a hint of malice in her speech as she said that.

Burdis simply laughed. "Don't you already do that, Argen?" He continued to consume his snack as Argen let out a long, exasperated sigh.

The girl squirmed underneath her partner (at least, Serpis assumed that's what they were) before realizing that she was awkwardly rubbing against the poor sap below her. She turned to Leo to find the man cringing slightly. "Sorry, just give me a sec." She told him.

She brought her hand behind his head, a normally seductive move if it weren't for the fact that she was looking up at Burdis with a sadistic grin on her face. She whipped her arm backwards, driving her elbow into the brunet's side with enough force to knock him off her. She scrambled to her feet, fists up in a brawling stance. "And hell begins, now!" She jumped forward, arm drawn back for another blow.

Her rage-induced charge was brought to an anticlimactic end when Leo grabbed her by the collar of her shirt and literally threw her to the ground. The dazed girl landed beside her partner. After shaking her head and looking at the brunet next to her, the both of them gave Leo an annoyed glare so synchronized that Serpis thought it had to be rehearsed.

"Calm down, missy." Leo told her. "Save it for the Grimm."

Serpis took the moment to analyze the two. The Argen girl wore a blue tunic with black lining and a grey undershirt that fit to her skin. Her grey pants went all the way down to her blue boots. She also had a grey belt and a bracelet on her left arm. Her partner, Burdis, however, was dressed much more casually. He had a brown vest over an orange t-shirt. He wore a pair blue jeans and brown sneakers adorned his feet. A long bandage-wrap covered his right forearm. _He's not hurt, though. Maybe it's just for style?_ She noticed that his brown eyes held the same fiery defiance as his partner's, although toned down some.

"I'm guessing you two know each other?" She asked them, noting other similar features and mannerisms between the two.

"Argen and Burdis Aquilam, at your service!" Argen stood and gave an elaborate bow. "Beacon's resident lunatic twins!"

Burdis shrugged. "Speak for yourself." He turned to Leo and Serpis. "Sorry for that, uh..."

"Leo Vert." Said the monk-esque man. He crossed his arms over his chest, watching the twins before him.

"And Serpis Turquo!" She jumped onto Leo's arm, clinging to it like she would a teddy bear. "Don't get any ideas, he's mine." She gave Argen a diabolical smile. The girl cocked her head to one side and gave a similar grin.

Leo tore himself away from Serpis, shaking his arm like it'd been covered in slime. "You stay away from me." He ordered. She giggled at him before heading off in a random direction.

"Uh, you know the temple's that way, right?" Burdis asked, getting up and pointing the opposite direction of where the turquoise-themed girl was going.

Argen punched her brother in the shoulder. "You knew where the temple was this whole time? Why didn't you say anything!"

The guys shrugged before heading off towards their objective. "You never asked."

* * *

After several minutes of walking, the quartet broke through the trees and into a clearing filled with a circular ruin. For a moment, Leo paused where he stood and surveyed the area, noting how close they were to the cliffs. Serpis appeared by his side, but neither turned to look at the other.

"You think this is the place." She asked, sarcastically.

_Well, the question isn't that stupid_. Just over a nearby ridge there was a long stretch of ruins heading back towards Beacon. If one wasn't too careful, they could find themselves scouring the wrong set of destroyed architecture for relics.

The twins had found their way down to the temple and were waving their arms at their two new friends. "Hey, come check this out!" They shouted.

"Chess pieces." Serpis commented as they entered the desolate temple, looking at one of the relics.

Leo nodded. "And it seems the army has shrank quite a bit." There were twenty pillars in front of them, but only a few still held relics on them. He took note that there were only two matching sets left: the White Pawns and the Black Kings.

Serpis walked up to one of the pawns, and Leo followed her. It was golden-colored, somewhat dull-looking from what Leo could only surmise to be elemental exposure. It was slightly chipped, as if it had been used before in an actual board game. _I wonder if the professor just took these from his office. Although efficient and resourceful, not very clever._

"It's not all that special." She commented, picking it up and examining it.

"But a pretty good representation of our lot in life." He replied. He looked around to find that the twins had also picked up a pawn, tossing the piece back-and-forth like a toy.

Serpis gave him a glare. "Although I'd like to think otherwise, sometimes you're too perceptive for your own good." She refocused on the piece, simply appreciating it. "I like it. It's simple, has symbolism, and just feels right."

Leo turned back towards the cliffs. "Let's take it, then." He told her.

She pocketed the piece before calling Burdis and Argen over. Together they made their way back to Beacon, casually strolling through the ruin-filled landscape. They were already so far behind the others, they decided that trying to hurry their initiation was a waste.

Scorch marks and small craters dotted the landscape they passed through. From the smell, Leo guessed that they were probably recent, within the last hour or so. After a few minutes, they reached a gorge where the crumbled remains of what he guessed was a bridge sat, heading towards a flat, circular stone platform halfway across the gorge. Crumbled pillars rose from its surface, surrounded in crushed stone.

Burdis leaned over the near edge of the bridge, looking at the destroyed supports below them. "Looks like something powerful caused this. Stuff like this doesn't break without a significant amount of force." He sat on his heels and drew his finger across one of the cracks. "Feels like a new break. I'd guess probably half an hour ago it happened."

They looked across the gorge at the cliff face. About a hundred meters away and two hundred up lay their destination, and the end of their initiation.

"How the heck are we getting up there?" Argen wondered aloud. "It's not like we can fly up there, or anything."

Serpis suddenly perked up and grabbed Leo's hand. He tried to move away, but when he saw the gleam in her eye an unspoken message passed between them, and he nodded. "But we have something even better!" She motioned for the other two to join them. "Come on in, everybody hold hands. Don't be shy, Leo won't bite."

"Though you might." The green-haired man mumbled under his breath. _And she would. Literally._

"I'm choosing to ignore that." She whispered just loud enough for him to hear.

After a moment's hesitation, the two did as obliged. Burdis grabbed her hand, and Argen grabbed his and Leo's. Serpis's eye twitched ever so slightly, but still enough for Leo to notice. She tightened her grip on him as she spoke again. "Close your eyes, everyone." They all shut their eyes, not entirely sure what to expect next.

There was a strange sense in the pit of Leo's stomach, a slight wave of nausea and dizziness. He felt like his insides had been stirred up, poured out, and then placed back in. It lasted only a moment, however, then it was over. Although Leo still felt a bit disoriented.

"You can open your eyes, now." Serpis said, now sounding much happier.

Leo obliged, finding himself atop the lookout point overlooking the Emerald Forest. For such a drastic change in scenery, he was less than impressed.

Burdis, however, blinked in confusion. His head swiveled back and forth, checking his surroundings to verify he was really back at Beacon. "How…"

Serpis gave a little giggle. "What did you expect, actual flight?" She shimmered out of sight for a moment before reappearing right in his face. "My Semblance is teleportation." She explained. "I can manipulate the atomic structures in me and anything I'm in contact with to instantly move anywhere I want." She teleported back to her place next to Leo, arms crossed.

Leo shook his head. "Yeah, Serpis, we get it. You're so cool because you're Semblance is very showy. Wonderful."

His old friend huffed in annoyance before turning away. "Let's just get back to the auditorium, then we can continue our conversation from earlier." She gave him a wink before skipping off towards a huddle of other students.

He was left with Argen and Burdis, both of whom were somewhat puzzled. "Is she always like that?" Asked the sister.

Leo sighed. "Yes, she is. And now I have to deal with her for four more years. Hopefully the other two members of my team will be a bit calmer and less… forward. Also not super eccentric, like you two."

Burdis laughed. "Yeah. Well, best of luck with that! I'm gonna go meet some new people, and hopefully my new teammates as well!" He grabbed his sister's arm, which instigated a plethora of curses and furious squirming from the girl, before running towards the crowd of students ahead.

Leo smiled before resting his hand on the pommel of Argent Cross, slowly walking towards the other students. _Yeah, but knowing my luck, I'll end up with a bunch of lunatics._

* * *

"Argen Aquilam, Serpis Turquo, Leo Vert, and Burdis Aquilam." Professor Ozpin announced to the audience as the four stepped up to the platform.

_I hate my life. _Leo thought to himself as he took his place on the far left of his new team. He looked towards the crowd of students who were excitedly chatting among themselves, happy to see another team join their ranks. _To think that I had all of those students to be teamed with, and I happened to get these three. Just my luck. _Leo turned back towards Ozpin, who had continued his speech.

"The four of you retrieved the White Pawn pieces. From this day forward you will work together as…" There was a slight pause for effect. "Team SABL," The student body began clapping furiously for the new team. Leo wondered whether they were genuinely happy or if Professor Goodwitch forced them to clap so loudly. "Led by, Serpis Turquo."

The shorter woman seemed surprised at the statement. After a brief moment of shock, she quickly nodded her thanks to the headmaster and walked off the stage, the rest of SABL trailing behind her. They passed a group of tough-looking, armored students as they stepped down from the platform. "Russel Thrush, Cardin Winchester…" Ozpin began, starting the cycle of naming a new team over again.

Serpis led them all by the exit door, where they stood alone with one team that stood on the opposite end of the door. If Leo remembered right, they had been named team CFVY. The group seemed to be getting along with each other rather well, even though one of them was a Faunus. _Nice to see that not everyone is a discriminatory human supremacist. _He thought to himself.

Looking back to the stage, he noticed the blonde woman he'd seen at the beginning of initiation was up with her team. _They're all girls. _Was the first thing he noticed about the group.

"…Weiss Schnee, and Yang Xiao Long." Ozpin finished announcing. "The four of you retrieved the White Knight pieces. From this day forward you will work together as team RWBY, led by…" another pause for effect, "Ruby Rose."

A girl in a red hood stood at the head of the other girls. She seemed shocked at the declaration. The girl next to her, who wore a white blouse and skirt, looked infuriated with Ozpin's decision. The blonde from earlier, whom Leo assumed was the Yang girl, jumped onto her new leader, crushing her in a bear hug.

"I'm not doing that to you, you know." He told Serpis, who'd giggled at the public display of affection.

The girl rolled her eyes at him, now looking to be over the shock of becoming a leader. "I can dream, can't I?"

Burdis put his arms around the two, bringing them closer to him. "I don't know about you, but _my_ dream involves a big celebration where we all head over to our new dorms and invite the neighbors over!"

Argen slipped around the other side and put her arms around them all, too, making a huddle. "Same here! Except we should invite that Valkyrie girl we met on the airship. She seems like she'd add a bit of flair to the festivities!"

Leo shook his head. "I just want to get to bed and sleep the day off. You know, I used to be a solo artist until I came here. Now I'm forced to room the most outgoing person I know and the 'resident lunatic twins of Beacon Academy.' I have a bad feeling I won't be getting any sleep tonight."

Serpis just grinned at him. "Come on, Leo, it's not all bad. I mean look at us!" she squeezed everyone together into the closest thing to a bear hug she could give them all. "We made it to Beacon! We've passed initiation! We're on our own team, and with one sweet name as well!" She let go of her friends.

"SABL" Argen muttered, getting a feel for the word. "I like it. I wonder what it means."

Leo spoke up. "I can answer that for you." He cleared his throat. "Sable. It's heraldry's term for black. Fitting, as we all seem to represent a charge." When the platinum-blonde just stared at him, he clarified. "A charge is an item or animal on the front of a heraldic crest. We all represent one of the common charges. Aquilam the eagle," he pointed to the twins. "Leo the lion," now to himself. "Serpens the snake." Finally pointing to their new leader. "They represent more than just that, though. The eagle symbolizes speed and versatility; the lion, strength and courage; and the serpent is cunning and intelligence."

He had no idea what brought it on, but he decided to give Serpis an old look, one that he knew tore her up inside, but felt she constantly needed. It was nothing more than a simple, thankful smile. But it meant so much more than just thanks. It was his way of saying that he promised to be there for her, that he trusted her, and that she would always be his best friend. That he was thankful that she always stood by his side, that she had been such a good friend to him for all these years, and that, although the attention annoyed him somewhat, he still appreciated that she took such an interest in him, trying to show him that he didn't have to be a loner.

He noticed that she tried to emulate a smile as well, but he could feel the mixed emotions coming off of her. "We may only be pawns, compared to the other students here," She stated, referring back to their talk at the temple ruins. "But even our name screams out that we are more. Heraldry, courage, intelligence, versatility, honor, and chivalry, all the qualities of a knight. We are more than what we seem." She turned to Burdis. "And heck yes, we're having a party to celebrate it."

The brunet did a fist pump before turning towards the exit. He turned to the rest of them. "You guys coming or what?"

Leo noticed that they were one of the last teams still in the auditorium. Most of the other students were either already gone or filing out. He followed the excited twin as Argen ran to catch up with him. Serpis decided to hang back with him, walking at a slower pace than their eccentric teammates.

"It's beautiful today." She said, taking in the scenery.

"Uhuh." He affirmed. The Beacon grounds were quite impressive. The large, gothic buildings seemed to fit the battle-school feel. Yet it didn't seem so cold and standoffish, as many similar designs did. Trees dotted the landscape of the Academy, some filled with students playing around, hanging out, and even a few getting a head start on their studies. Lush gardens spread along the buildings added vivid color to the campus. Many pathways were simple cobblestone walkways surrounded by grass. In fact, the grass covered everything that wasn't already occupied by either architecture or local flora. It was a brilliant green color that made one think of spring. _Funny, as autumn is beginning to set in._ To say that the landscape was breathtaking would be an understatement.

"Why do you do that?" Serpis asked, looking at her feet. He didn't respond, forcing her to elaborate. "Why do you always give me that look at the worst times? You know what it does to me."

Leo stayed silent for a moment, hesitant to respond. "Because it gives you the push to inspire others." He finally answered. "Serpis, I have no doubt you'll make a great leader, but every now and then you need a little help, and sometimes giving you that spark of hope is enough."

She stopped walking and turned away from him, holding a hand to her chest. "But you never mean it. You always look at me like that, and it puts up this hope that there's a chance, only for you to later crush it under your boot. It's been the same way since we first met. It hurt four years ago, and it hurts even worse now. In four years it'll probably hurt even more."

Leo felt something take over his body. He put a hand on her shoulder, causing her to look over it at him. Tears were welling up in her eyes. It hurt him to see her like this. "There's always a chance." he told her, his mouth no longer under his control. It was what he'd always wanted to say, but he'd never had the courage to do so. _Ironic, I'm a symbol of what I lack._ "Serpis, you said that we are more than we seem, and I agree. There's a lot about me that even you don't know, but even the few things about me you do know you've changed all on your own. I've never been good with people, but when I met you we just naturally got along. You've revealed a side of me I didn't even know existed. You're my best friend, and the closest thing to a relationship I'll probably ever get. It's never been that I didn't like you. You're smart, beautiful, and always there for me. But in all honesty, we're only seventeen, and I don't believe I'm ready for what you want."

She turned to him, holding his hand in hers. "But it's just some dumb relationship. Why can't you just humor me? Why do you have to play this stupid game of hot-and-cold with me? Just hate me or love me, stop toying with me!" The tears were running now, and her grip tightened.

"Hey, it's not just some dumb relationship." He pulled her closer, forcing her to look into his eyes. "I don't know why everyone is always so casual about this stuff, but it stops here. We're talking about trusting our hearts and souls in someone else's hands, for Dust's sake. It's not something you do lightly. There's the potential to either make lives so much richer or completely destroy them. And that's exactly why I take this so seriously. I'm afraid that I'll hurt you." Her eyes widened in shock, and her jaw dropped slightly. "And that is something that I could never, ever stand seeing."

Suddenly he found Serpis close to him, pulling him into a tight embrace. Rather than push himself away, he simply put his arms around her as well. _What the heck am I doing? I'm only tearing her up even more. _Her head leaned against his chest, and he could feel her shaky breathing through his tunic. Her heartbeat was frantic, and her tears began to wet his clothes. Looking at her, Leo realized that she wasn't trying to be flirty anymore. She just wanted someone to hold her as she tried to sort through her own emotional turmoil. _I could do that, I guess. As a friend, I could do that. _He looked at her again. _Can't I?_

"Do you really mean that?" She asked, the question muffled through his clothing.

He rested one hand on her head, slowly patting it. "Of course." He told her.

She squeezed a little closer. Her eyes closed, and the two began to move with the wind. "Then I'll just wait till you feel you're ready." She told him, her voice stronger than before.

He looked towards the rest of Beacon, watching as students milled about the campus. "Thanks, Serpis." He whispered, resting his chin on her head. "Thanks a lot."

And so the two stood along one of the cobble pathways in front of the courtyard, slowly swaying back-and-forth as the evening breeze gently pushed them, Leo holding his best friend in his arms as she cried to her hearts content, happy to know that though she had been denied her only request, there would always be hope for the future.

A bright future, one that began when they had decided to take that first step at Beacon Academy.


End file.
